US wants ties with China to be on positive trajectory: Clinton

Published: Saturday, January 15, 2011, 0:00 [IST]

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Lalit K Jha

Washington, Jan 14 (PTI) US wants a positive andcooperative relationship with China, Secretary of StateHillary Clinton said today as she sought to refute assumptionsthat there was a cold-war like situation between the twocountries or that Washington is planning to encircle Beijing.

Delivering the first Richard Holbrooke memoriallecture, Clinton said the choices both sides make in thecoming time will help determine whether the relationship livesup to its promise.

"We intend to pursue a positive, cooperative andcomprehensive relationship with China... Because that reallydoes capture our hopes for the future and that is how our twoPresidents have described this relationship," Clinton saidahead of next week''s State visit of Chinese President HuJintao.

Clinton said a peaceful and prosperous Asia-Pacificregion is in the interest of both China and the United States.

"Our friends and allies across the Asia-Pacificregion would agree. They also want to move beyond outdated,zero-sum formulas that might force them to choose betweenrelations with Beijing and relations with Washington," shesaid.

"So all of this calls for careful, steady, dynamicstewardship of this critical relationship; an approach toChina on our part that is grounded in reality, focused onresults, and true to our principles and interests," she said.

She added that to keep the relationship on a "positivetrajectory", the two sides will have to be honest about theirdifferences.

"We will address them firmly and decisively as wepursue the urgent work we have to do together. And we have toavoid unrealistic expectations that can be disappointing.

"This requires steady effort over time to expand theareas where we cooperate and to narrow the areas where wediverge, while holding firm to our respective values," shesaid.

Clinton said the Obama administration is pursuing astrategy of practicing robust regional engagement in theAsia-Pacific, building trust between China and the US andexpanding economic, political and security cooperationwherever possible.

"A more robust and coherent regional architecture inAsia benefits all of us, especially the United States andChina. It helps ensure that every nation and point of viewis heard, and it reinforces the system of rules andresponsibilities, from protecting intellectual property toensuring freedom of navigation, that form the basis of a justinternational order," she said.